Rowing apparatus.



P. S. MEDART.

ROWING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1914.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

UMT D S A ES-P TE OFFICE PHILIPS. mnnnn r, or s'r. Louis, MISSOURI," Assieiro'n To {men MEDART MANUFAC- runmecomrnny, or sr; ;I.om: s, MIssoURr; A CORPO ATIO or MISSOURI.

To all "Lela 27a concern 1 Be it known that rrmmkslmmm,

I a citizen of the United, States" of America,

and :a resident of Ste Louis-in the State of- .Missouri; have invented certain newgand useful. Improvements in Rowing Apparatus, of which the following aspecification. llhis invention relates tothat class of exer cising apparatus in which an exercise :Oftt rowing nature is' had. ;And the present im provement has. tor -its oblj ect: to providela simple and eflicient structural formation and combination ofparts of. the yielding fric- .tio nal resistance numbers of such typelof exercising apparatus, adapted" .to provide a uniform resistance" during the pull stroke, combined with means for regulating; the .degreeof. frictionalfresistance to .meet the v "requirements 'ofidifierent users, an as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the aacconi any ng drawings F-Figure 1, is aplan view: illustrating a rowing apparatus having the presentjinvention applied .Fig. 2,; is a detail top. .view, withparts in section, of one of the frictional resistance members, Fig 3,1is a detail, vertical section 10f the/ a 1111 7 %:"F g' 4% V a is a horizontal section of thesame, on line ww, 3. M 1 ,S lmllar reference; numerals indicate, like partsm theseveralnvlews;

Referringto. th .draW1ngs, -.1 represents the base board of-arowing apparatus, providedwith, the usual elevated horizontal tracks 2, upon: which the rowersseat 3, is

yslidingly mounted and withthe usual sta- -de sclribed frictional resistancemembers to ",Which thepair of oar arms 6 are operatively omestead tionary foot .rests 4 at one end as. shown.

-.5 is the usualtransversely arranged car-- rying yoke-secured to the base board. 1, intermediate the-lengthof saidboard, and carrying at its outer. ends the pair of hereinafter.

I 7; is a cup-shaped shell. or member having spacedprongs on. its underside for fixed en-. b gagement; with an outer-end of'the trans- H cover 8, as shown.

.verse yoke 5, .mann er whichpermits' detachment when required. cavity of .theshellor member 5 is ofa circular form and its open top inclosedby clap-piece or .10 is a centrally with its upper end adapted forrigid aty disposedlro'ck-is haft jour- .naled vertically in'saidr shellbr member 7 ROWING PPAR TUS...

Specification of Letters mat. t t e t 22, 1914 1 1A p1ieaitn filed m 19,1914, Serial nassasaa 1 tachmentjto a crank arm 11, which in turn is secured to: one end of an oar arm 6, aforesaid, and in the present improvement said rock-shaft 10 is formed with an eccentric or cam portion 12 for the purpose hereinafter stated. l l

13 is a split the interior of the shell or member'7, and having circular periphery corresponding friction ring or annnlus fitting with the inner circular wall of the cavity of {the shell? .and adapted for frictional engagement therewith. In the present construction the split or opening said ring .;l3, is of a wedge form as shown, and adapted for engagement with'theouter end of an expanding. wedge member hereinafter described. 1 A

141 is a cross head disposed-inside the split ring 13gaforesaid andconnected to and moving with "thejcap 'piece8 above described.

Said cross-head lehas av central bore fitting loosely around the rock-shaft10, in manner whichlpermits of a limited independent turning movementof the rock-shaft with relationto said cross-head. I a i 15 is a-radial key orpin connecting one end of the cross-head l ltothe split ring 13, so that theywill have aturning move- ,mentlin unison.

16 is the wedge; memberheretofore referred to, and which. is guided radially in a radial recess in the crosshead 1 1, at the end opposite to that carrying-the connecting key or .pin15 above described. The inner end of saidwedgermemberfabuts against the eccentricor cam portion 12, or the rock-shaft 10, and receives an outw ard'or radial movement therefrom, as therock shaft-10 is turned,

and such outward movement of the Wedge member causes an expanslonof the frlctlon adapted to regulate the. amount of independent movement of the .cra'nkarm 11 between said lugs, and the consequent amount i ring 13through the instrumentali'ty of the wedge formed outer end 17 offsaid wedge 1053 20 and 21, are adjustable abut1nent screws passing through theclugs. 18 and 19and of expansion imparted to the split frictionof the aforesaid abutment screws, and adapt ed to cushion the aforesaid crank arm 11, in

the above described independent movement,

- to said rock shaft, an adjustable abutment and eliminate noise and jar in actual use.

In the practical use of the apparatus, an abutment adjustment of the aforesaid: I screws, is all that is necessary to produce the required degree of frictional resistance to the movement of the oar arms 6, in the pull portions of the rowing exercise. In the push portions of the exercise, the frictional resistance is entirely released in" an automatic manner by the 'present sme'cha-e nism. I i Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by -Letters Patent, is t 1, A frictional resistance means trally in said member and .formed with an eccentric portion, a crank arm connectedao said rock shaft, means for limitingthe 111- dependent movement of said crank arm, a

split friction ring arranged in the cavity of said cup-shaped member, and means intermediate of the eccentric portion of the 2. A frictional resistance means for rowing apparatus, comprisin a fixed V cupft ourna-led censhaped member, a rock-sha 'trally in'said member and formed with an eccentric portion, a crank arm connected to said rock-shaft, means for limiting the independent movement of said crank arm, a split friction ring arranged in the cavity of said cup-shaped member, a cross-head operatively connected to and moving with said ring, a radiallyj movable wedge member havingoper'ative' engagement at one end with the eccentric portion of the rock-shaft, and at the other end an expanding engagement with the split friction ring, substantially as set forth." y Y v ,3. A frictional resistance means for row-' ing apparatus, comprisin a fixed cupshaped me1nber, a rock-sha t journal'ed centrallyin said member andformed with an eccentric portion, a crank arm connected to said rock shaft, an adjustable abutment screw disposed in the path of the crank arm and adapted to regulate the independent movement of the same in one direction,a

forfrOvving apparatus, comprisin v a fixed cup shaped member, a rock-shai't'journaled cenrock-shaft and the split friction: ring for e e n e'expan o s i ri -Wi h a 'lndependentturning of the rock;shaft in one direction, substantially as .set forth.

4. A frictional resistance means "for rowing apparatus comprising a fixed cupshaped member,- a rock-shaft jour'naled centrally in said member and formed with an eccentric portion, a crank arm connected screw disposed in thejpath of thecrank arm and adapted 'to regulate the independent movement of the same inone direction, a

split friction ring arranged-in thecav'ity of said cup-shaped member," a cross-head operativelyi eonneeted to j and movin with said rings," a "radially movingwedge; mema 7 her having operative engagement at one-end "with the eccentric portion of the "rock-shaft ffand at the} other end an expandingfengage-F jment with the split friction ring, substan-v 3 ti lly as set forth.

. 5. A frictional resistance means for rowing apparatus, comprising a fixed cu shapedmember, 'acap piece therefona rock shaft journaled centrally in, said-member at opposite sides of saidq cranki arm-land and formed with anzeccentric portion, a t 1 adapted to regulate the inde'pendent movement of the same, a split frictioniring arranged in the cavity of s'aid 'cup sha-ped member, and means intermediate of the eccentric portion of theflrock s'haft and the" 'split ring for effecting expansion of said ring with an "independent: turning movement of the rdekshaft,substantially set forth. s a

6. A frictional re sistance meansror row ing apparatus, fcomprising afixedicupshaped member, a cap; piece therefonarock pair ofadjustable abutmentserews disposed t PP' SitQside'S of said f c'rank arm and adapted to regulate the'jindependent movement of the 'same, a split friction ring arranged in the. cavity "off said eup sha'ped" engagement at one endiwith the 'eccentric portion of the'rock-shartand at theothen v shaft joamalea.eer m-11y--in "said: member and formed with an eecentrie port-ion, av crankarm connected tosaid rockesha'lft, a

end an'expailding engagement with the split friction ring, substantiallyas set forth.

7 A frictional resistance means for rowing apparatus," comprising a fixed cup; sha ed inemberya cap piece therefon'arock shaft journaled centrally in said member and formed with an, eccentric portion, a

crank Ycon'nect'edto said rock-shaft, pair or adjustable abutment screws disposed at opposite sides" of said crank arm' and adaptedto regulate the independent ent turning movement of the rock-shaft,submovement of the same, a cushion member stantially as set forth. t i 1 associated with one of said abutment screws, Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 15th a split friction ring arranged in the cavity day of May, 1914.

5 of said cup-shaped member, and means 'i'n- PHILIP S. MEDART.

termediate of the eccentric portion of the" Witnesses: rock-shaft and the split ring for efi'ecting M. C. MILLER, an expansion of said ring with an independ- F. J. HARTMANN.

ii 1 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by-addressing the Commissioner of I'atents,

Y Washington, D. 0. 

